Mount TBR 2013 Reading Challenge discussion

Well, hello!
For those who haven't read it, I'll repost my introduction here to start my thread off.

I think this challenge would be good for me as I've already been doing an unofficial 'read more than i acquire' thing this year and so started to attach an approximate date to all books I add to my shelves for that purpose. This should, in theory, make it easier for me to tell whether a book counts towards this goal or not. I've already been doing a '50 books in 2013' challenge and am up to 44 thus far, with 20 of these counting towards this 2013 TBR goal, therefore I'm going to attempt Mt Blanc for the remainder of 2013 (as I'm a VERY late starter here), and revisit the level in 2014. My progress thus far is as below.

#1, The Somnambulist, Jonathan Barnes 4/5
#2, White is for Witching, Helen Oyeyemi 4/5
#13, The Peacock Party, Alan Aldridge 5/5
#14, The Lion's Cavalcade, Alan Aldridge 5/5
#15, The Secret of Lost Things, Sheridan Hay 4/5
#16, Of Bees And Mist, Erick Setiawan 4/5
#17, The Secret History, Donna Tartt 5/5
#18, The Thirteenth Tale, Diane Setterfield 5/5
#20, The Portrait, Iain Pears 5/5
#25, The Casual Vacancy, J.K. Rowling 2/5
#26, The Creative License, Danny Gregory 4/5
#27, The Book of Lost Things, John Connolly 5/5
#29, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, Stephenie Meyer 2/5
#30, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom 5/5
#35, Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert 5/5
#36, Anita, Keith Roberts 4/5
#39, Room, Emma Donoghue 4/5
#40, The Pleasure of my Company, Steve Martin 2/5
#41, The Orange Girl, Jostein Gaarder 5/5
#44, In the Forest, Edna O'Brien 4/5
#46, Lighthousekeeping, Jeanette Winterson 5/5
#47, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, Alan Garner 4/5
#48, The Moon of Gomrath, Alan Garner 4/5
#49, Seasons in the Sun, Rod McKuen, 1/5
[updated: 24]

As an added little bit of fun here as a sort of introduction and because I missed checkpoint #3, my answers:

1. 4008m/4810m climbed up Mt Blanc

2.
A. Who has been your favorite character so far? And tell us why, if you like ---- Anita, the saucy witch. Irreverent, has magic powers is super sexy...well duh (as the kids say)? ;)

B. What has been your most difficult read so far. And why? ---- The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling because I just found it so dull but don't like not finishing books.

C. Which book (read so far) has been on your TBR mountain the longest? Was it worth the wait? Or is it possible you should have tackled it back when you first put it on the pile? Or tossed it off the edge without reading it all? ---- The Portrait by Iain Pears has been on my shelves since 2005 and I really should have read it sooner as i really enjoyed it.

I discovered 'reading challenges' in late June last year; started most October & later and finished all 18. You'll do great! I've collected real books in bulk, wherever I find good deals, since I was about 15. Your theme wouldn't work in one year. ;) I love these and took to them like a duck to water. People like us read a lot anyway: how wonderful that a non-athlete gets to compete and have something to do with all of these book journies! You might like my articles on that (www.CMRiedel.WordPress.com).

One thing I'd love more of our peers to do is, instead of just leaving a list that don't tell us anything; a simple "5/5" indicator of how we like each book tells a LOT. What is your take on "Thirteenth Tale" & "Secret History"? Two I've owned at least 5 years (more 'recent' for this gal) and look forward to reading. I'm Carolyn in western Canada.

Hi Carolyn!
Oops, sorry I cut off the scores when I was re-formatting my list. Here it is again with /5 scores:

#1, The Somnambulist, Jonathan Barnes 4/5
#2, White is for Witching, Helen Oyeyemi 4/5
#13, The Peacock Party, Alan Aldridge 5/5
#14, The Lion's Cavalcade, Alan Aldridge 5/5
#15, The Secret of Lost Things, Sheridan Hay 4/5
#16, Of Bees And Mist, Erick Setiawan 4/5
#17, The Secret History, Donna Tartt 5/5
#18, The Thirteenth Tale, Diane Setterfield 5/5
#20, The Portrait, Iain Pears 5/5
#25, The Casual Vacancy, J.K. Rowling 2/5
#26, The Creative License, Danny Gregory 4/5
#27, The Book of Lost Things, John Connolly 5/5
#29, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, Stephenie Meyer 2/5
#30, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom 5/5
#35, Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert 5/5
#36, Anita, Keith Roberts 4/5
#39, Room, Emma Donoghue 4/5
#40, The Pleasure of my Company, Steve Martin 2/5
#41, The Orange Girl, Jostein Gaarder 5/5
#44, In the Forest, Edna O'Brien 4/5

As you can see, both The Thirteenth Tale and The Secret History got top scores from me - that was a good reading month! They were both exactly what I like - bookish, intelligent, mysteries. I'd recommend you slide them up your Mount TBR this instant! :)

Hi 'Pixie'! I'm guessing that's an on-line alias. I have a habit -have since I was small- of saving the best for last. Getting what's less desirable over with first. I lift the habit and give myself license to look over my library (which really is a library - see my Mount El Toro thread). I occasionally choose a genre that's awesome for me. If you notice a little paranormal among my lists now, what until I read more of my FAVOURITE subjects! :) Carolyn. http://cmriedel.wordpress.com/2012/04...

C. wrote: "Hi 'Pixie'! I'm guessing that's an on-line alias. I have a habit -have since I was small- of saving the best for last. Getting what's less desirable over with first. I lift the habit and give m..."

Actually 'Pixie' is one of my offline nicknames as well :)

I am a firm believer that you can't trust anyone who doesn't read. Fact ;) My current library numbers 1355 books (with a few books still to be added to the catalogue from my husband's stash) with 800 of those unread! So you're in good company!

Yay! I don't count finished titles nor my fiancé's. I don't know my numbers but you may have more than I, which is outrageous. See my thread in the 'Mount El Toro' level and you'll find photos of the building we set up. Your collection must need its own structure too!

I haven't admitted even here yet but will, when I start a picture thing with everyone in my new thread. My goodies are outside the library outbuilding too! Bedroom, snaking into the kitchen.... Where in the United Kingdom are you? I've been to two wonderful countries recently, for me!

My e-mail address alias is pre-internet. My name is fine if I'm comfortable with a forum or person. I don't add books to Goodreads so as not to clog it up, until I'm about to read them. The list of covers is slow enough to load on dial-up, which is my internet connection. I left the city right after that happy trip, for rural life.

just finished 'Shiver' by Maggie Stiefvater, but it can't count as i bought it in 2013. boo! it takes me to 45 books in 2013 overall though.

i am now halfway through 'Lighthousekeeping' by Jeanette Winterson though, which WILL count!

just finished:

#46 Lighthousekeeping by Jeanette Winterson 5/5

such a beautiful book about stories, our stories, others' stories, how they intertwine and how we keep them alive.

stats:
Number of books finished of Mt. Blanc TBR: 21
Number to go: 3
Metres of Mt. Blanc scaled: 4209
Metres to go: 601

just finished

#47, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, Alan Garner 4/5

stats:
Number of books finished of Mt. Blanc TBR: 22
Number to go: 2
Metres of Mt. Blanc scaled: 4409
Metres to go: 401

just finished

#48, The Moon of Gomrath, Alan Garner 4/5

stats:
Number of books finished of Mt. Blanc TBR: 23
Number to go: 1
Metres of Mt. Blanc scaled: 4610
Metres to go: 200

#49, Seasons in the Sun, Rod McKuen, 1/5

stats:
Number of books finished of Mt. Blanc TBR: 24!!
Number to go: 0
Metres of Mt. Blanc scaled: 4810
Metres to go: 0

*waves flag from the top of Mt. Blanc*

woot!

i am wondering whether to attempt the next peak of 36 books, but will wait to see how I get along before committing myself. i am 1 book away from my '50 in 2013' goal and that would mean i would need to read 11 more to hit it. in two months? hmmm. watch this space!

#50 (#25 of MTBR), A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle, 3/5

i've now completed both my challenges for 2013, but will carry on updating as i try for my most prolific reading year record of 70 books. if i get along OK i may 'officially' up my goal here to Mt. Vancouver, but I don't want to set myself up for failure!

Congrats!